


Sunday Morning

by storm_dog_pirate



Category: Nikolai Series - Leigh Bardugo, The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: A Bit of Fluff, Alternate Universe - College/University, College AU, F/M, because i said so and it's very cute, but the dogs love Zoya more LMAO, in which Nikolai has two dogs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-08 08:53:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26969305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storm_dog_pirate/pseuds/storm_dog_pirate
Summary: A certain raven-haired storm of the Law Department needs a favor, and Nikolai agrees without second thought because that's whatfriendsdo, right?
Relationships: Nikolai Lantsov/Zoya Nazyalensky
Kudos: 26





	Sunday Morning

**Author's Note:**

> I've been posting a lot because October prompts kljhadhfal and i have a ton of ideas. Forgive me KLJHASDFLA

Nikolai had promised himself he wouldn't get another one, not until he graduated from his engineering degree, at least, which was roughly only more than a year remaining. 

But looking at them now, he realized that he wouldn't have it any other way. 

"Sturmhond,  _ no _ ." He gently lifted the dog away from the bowl. The Golden Retriever gave a soft whine as Nikolai placed Sturmhond to the bigger one to the right. "This is one yours, remember? Not the other one, that's your brother's." 

Hotdog let out a low rumble, nudging Nikolai’s leg. The Dachshund had merely sat back and watched its brother devour the food in the smaller bowl, even though Sturmhond had the bigger one. 

He ruffled the spot under the Dachshund's chin. "I know, buddy. Hard being the older one, eh?" 

Nikolai added a bit more to Hotdog's food, and the dog was all too happy to dive in. He watched them fondly, a smile on his lips. 

They had definitely helped him divert his attention to other things rather than overworking himself with tons of lectures and papers whenever sleep eluded him. 

Perhaps getting them wasn't a bad choice after all. 

The shrill tone of his phone startled him out of his thoughts that he dropped the dog food container he was holding. Its contents scattered on the ground, and apparently Sturmhond and Hotdog noticed it. 

Then both of them turned their attention to the fallen dog food despite still having some on their bowls. 

"Guys, no—" 

The ringtone continued to blare, and his dogs refused to listen to him. Realizing that he couldn’t stop the two from feasting over the dog food, Nikolai let out a frustrated breath as he grabbed his phone on the counter. He didn't bother checking the caller when he answered. 

"Yes?" 

"Nikolai, it's Zoya," the voice said, and he had to put the phone away from his ear to make sure it was really her. Indeed, the caller ID showed "Mean Muffin". 

Nikolai raised a brow, pressing the phone to his ear again. It was only a little past eight in the morning, and he was quite sure Zoya wouldn't have called this early. On a Sunday. 

"Nazyalensky? Is something wrong?" he asked, eyeing his two dogs that were still eating the scattered food on the floor. Their tails were wagging all too enthusiastically, and he could only shake his head in disbelief as he turned his attention back to the call. “What’s up?”

Zoya didn’t reply right away, making him a bit worried. But he could hear the muffled thuds and shuffle in the background. What was she doing? After a few more moments, her voice came. “Is that other room in your place still vacant?”

“Yeah, why?” Nikolai frowned. He glanced over his shoulder to look at the door next to his room that had been vacant ever since college started. “You know it always has been.” 

“Fair.” There was another thud, but it was louder this time, and followed by a string of curses from the raven-haired storm he was talking to.  _ Damn it all to hell, _ he heard her say, and Nikolai had to fight off a chuckle. Zoya then sighed exasperatedly. “Alright, favor—saints, I can't believe I'm the one asking now. But all because I really am out of options.” 

Nikolai’s eyebrows furrowed, a confused expression blooming on his face. Zoya Nazyalensky  _ rarely _ asked for favors, unless it’s a life and death situation. “Okay, go on.”

A beat. “The damned complex is getting shut down due to safety concerns which” —there was a sound of a door slamming shut— “is fucking absurd because in the years I’ve been here there hasn’t been a single problem—” She stopped, and then released an exasperated breath. “Can I crash over for a while?”

Oh.  _ Oh. _

What?

“Yeah, sure,” Nikolai replied even before he could think of it, and he blinked repeatedly. Then he frowned. The instinct of his answer definitely was questionable. “You’re not allergic to dog fur, right?”

A low rumble came from somewhere beside him, and he looked down to see Sturmhond looking at him with a flat expression as if it understood what just said. Behind the Retriever, Hotdog seemed to have the same expression as his brother. 

Nikolai raised an eyebrow at them, and then Zoya’s voice came a moment later. 

“Nikolai, I go there most of the time,” she said, and then with a bit more smug, she added, “And besides, we both know your dogs adore me more than you.”

“Getting more confident now, aren’t we?” He laughed lightly, walking over to the cupboard to put back the dog food container inside. He figured that the spilled food was beyond saving as the two dogs had already devoured it. “When are you coming over?”

“Now.”

The container almost slipped from his hand again, but he was able to prevent it from tipping over. His eyes widened. “I’m sorry,  _ what _ ?” 

Nikolai turned back to look at the state of his apartment, and his lecture notes in the living room were an utter mess. To emphasize his situation, it had been nearly a week since he last cleaned up. He winced.

_ Shit. _

“An earlier warning next time, Nazyalensky?”

At least half an hour later, the firm knocks finally came. Sturmhond and Hotdog immediately perked up, looking at Nikolai expectantly as he stood up and walked to the door. He peeked through the peephole. There indeed was Zoya Nazyalensky, Ravka University’s Storm, outside with a suitcase, a duffel bag, and a box in an arm.

And her face had her usual scowl that could make everyone cower. 

Nikolai huffed a laugh as he opened the door. “You know, you could’ve maximized the favor and asked—”

There was a bark, and then a flash of black fur rushed past him, leaping towards Zoya. It must have startled her because she quickly let go of the box she was holding to catch the enthusiastic dog coming for her. Nikolai acted right away and grabbed the box before it could fall.

He turned to frown at her, but wasn’t able to when he saw the look on her face. Gone was her scowl and replaced by a grin, her eyes alight as she looked down at the dog in her arms. Sturmhond had appeared beside her, reaching up its paws to her side as if it wanted to be carried too. The sight instantly brought a smile to his face. 

Zoya gave the Retriever a pat on the head, chuckling softly when Hotdog tried to pepper her face with kisses. Then she turned to Nikolai with a smug expression. “What’d I tell you? Your dogs adore me.”

“I can see it clearly now. Such traitors.” He ushered them inside as he stepped out to wheel her suitcase in, and then closed the door behind him after. “Just saying, you could’ve asked me to go get you.”

“And risk piling up the favors I have? I don’t think so, Lantsov.” She put down Hotdog to the ground, and the dog bolted to the nearest sofa to curl up on. Sturmhond followed in suit, lying beside his brother. 

Nikolai laughed lightly. "Afraid I might use it against you? Ah, but I don't take advantage of anything, Nazyalensky. You wound me," he said, putting the box down on his messy center table in the living room. "How long do you intend to stay?" 

Zoya turned to him, then, expression apologetic, which Nikolai rarely saw her have. "It's just until I find another place nearby. Probably a week or two, at most. All the other vacant ones are far from the university or cost a shit ton." She sighed tiredly. "I'll pay half of the expenses and rent—" 

"Don't worry about them, they've already been paid in advance. Just worry about the food expenses, I worry about it all the time as well." 

Her face had conflicting emotions blooming at once, the furrow in her eyebrows becoming more prominent like she didn't know what to say next. 

Nikolai gave her a reassuring smile. "Probably coffee expenses too. I'm sure my stash that would last me a month would now disappear in two weeks." 

To his relief, Zoya scoffed at his statement, a small smile on her lips. "Oh, really now? Who once drank four cups within a few hours and complained about being too jittery and not able to sleep?" 

"Bringing up the past now, aren't we? Harsh." 

"Honest."

"Then can you admit that I'm actually the best person you've ever known?" 

"Admitting to that would be like saying that Genya never existed."

Nikolai feigned a hurtful look. "That's the second time you've wounded me within a minute." 

Zoya gave him a smirk. "I do my best, Lantsov." She paused, her torn expression returning. Then she said, "Are you sure?"

He considered her question for a moment, but he already knew to himself that he'd agree to it in a heartbeat. Zoya was one of the few people that he was thankful for always keeping him up his feet. 

There probably wasn't anything he wouldn't do for her. 

"I got you," Nikolai said, and he meant it. Then playfully, he added, "As long as you don't steal my dogs from me, I think we'll be okay." 

Zoya raised an eyebrow as if offended, but the look in her eyes was gentle, and it was enough for him to know that she was grateful. She laughed lightly. "I don't think I can promise that, Lantsov."

He chuckled at that, wondering how his morning took a very interesting turn. 


End file.
